Lions fire Jim Swartz and the entire Lions coaching staff with the exception of Gunther Cunningham.

Lions hire Jack Del Rio DC of the Denver Broncos as their new Head Coach. Signs a 4 year deal worth 10 million dollars, 2.5 million per year.
( Good defensive coach who has done battle in the playoffs/regular season with QB’s like Peyton Manning, Steve McNair, and even Tom Brady. Played and beaten these guys with sub-par talent imo at QB. I think Del Rio can coach better than Swartz can in a game and might garner more respect among the players, and now national media. )

Lions hire Jim Zorn QB Coach of the Kansas City Chiefs as their new Offensive Coordinator. Signs a 4 year deal worth 2.5 million dollars, 625k dollars per year.
( Zorn has a solid track record of being a good coach with the QB’s and offense. Lions need to get Stafford back on track and I think then, the offense will look more to what we are use too, also we need a better play caller on the offense and I think a fresh face at OC will help. )

Lions hire Larry Izzo Assistant Special Teams coach of the New York Giants as their new Special Teams Coach. Signs a 4 year deal worth 500k, 125k dollars per year.
( He’s been a two year assistant with the Giants and won a super bowl, and as a player he was one heck of a special teams player earning All pro 3 times his 1st time as a Dolphin, won 3 super bowls with the Patriots, now as a coach won a super bowl with the Giants. He’s just one of those guys that work hard at success and Lions really need that type of guy at the helm on special teams. I love the fact he’s also a former player/standout on/at special teams. He’s coming in with the credentials early on. )

Draft:

1st – Barrett Jones, OL/C. Alabama. ( 6’5, 310lbs. )
( There isn’t much this guy can’t do along the line. He can play every single position and is playing C this year like a standout veteran so far. Favorite part about Jones is that he’s a team first guy that has had a lot of success in college, 4.0 student working on a masters degree as a junior, and does charity work outside of school/the field. Stand up act and a guy WE really need around here imo. )

2nd– Desmond Trufant, CB. Washington. ( 6’0, 185lbs. )
( Cover corner type guy that often times gets left alone on an island in college. Not saying he’ll replace Houston or anything but I think he’ll be a starter quality CB for the Lions. )

3rd- Gerald Hodges, LB. Penn State. ( 6’2, 235lbs. )
( This guy is a tackling machine and Lions will need someone on the roster or from the draft to step up and replace the loss of Durant. Hodges comes from a school known for producing LB’ers and Lions hope he’ll translate well. )

4th- Sanders Commings, DB. Georgia. ( 6’2, 215lbs. )
( Bigger CB with solid physical skills. He’ll likely get a look at CB because of his athletic ability and him playing the position pretty well in college but I think he might end up being a S by the end of his career. Either way Lions are struggling at both positions. )

5th – Devin Taylor, DE. South Carolina. ( 6’8, 270lbs. )
( He’s physical on the line and good in run defense/standing his ground but isn’t what you’d thin he should be as a pass rusher for his size/speed. Coaches will likely have to work on his moves awhile before he contends for a starting role but Lions will likely just rotate DE’s and Taylor can provide solid play as a reserve early on I think. )

6th – Mister Cobble, DT. Kentucky. ( 6’0, 330lbs. )
( Cobble literally moves around in the middle of the line like a bowling ball. He’s got good closing speed and he’s got some serious power/leverage in his game. Lions will likely move Ndamukong Suh around to get presser off the edge with cap casualtys in KVB/Avril. Cobble can help provide stability in the middle if Lions do indeed move Suh around. )

7th – Quinn Sharpe, P/K. Oklahoma State. ( 6’1, 205lbs. )
( This is a great type of 7th round pick because I really believe this guy can make the Lions roster. Hanson is a UFA and so are all our punter options. This guy can do both relatively well. Last year he averaged just over 46 yards a punt while also being the teams field goal kicker but didn’t try a FG from beyond 50 last season but lead the nation with 61 touch backs which could really help out Lions special teams’ coverage. He’s currently 4-5 this season on FG’s missing a 46 yard FG but hitting a 51 yard FG in week 3. I like his size also he’s big enough to make a tackle on some guys if needed. )

- Lions sign UDFA P Ian Campbell to a 1 year contract worth 405k.
( He’s small but he’s got a history the last two years of averaging over 45 yards a punt, this years he’s averaging 43 yards so far. Only down side is he’s a bit of a shrimp in coverage at 5’11, 170lbs. )

Restructure/ Retired: Saves 12.75 million.

- Jahvid Best, RB. Retires.

- Shaun Hill, QB. Restructures a one year extension making his contract worth 3 million over two years, 500k dollar signing bonus, 1.25 million dollar salary per year. Saves 1 million dollars.

- Calvin Johnson restructures his contract with will basically save 3 million dollars. Not sure how this is entirely done but I’m taking this from DrRay’s post.

- Matthew Stafford, QB. Restructures his contract to save 8 million dollars with big hits the following two seasons. Again taking this from DrRay’s post, not sure of the details.

Not a fan of firing Schwartz, but Zorn would make a nice OC._________________
"Strength is meaningless in o-line play if there is no explosive, or speed-strength, quality to the strength."
- LeCharles Bentley

Seriously I stopped at the firing of Schwartz. He has taken this team from nothing and got them to playoffs. The roster he inherited was pure garbage. Pure. I will look it over later but firing Schwartz is not going to happen for at least 2-3 more years. He still has to get some of past regime ugliness off this roster_________________

Seriously I stopped at the firing of Schwartz. He has taken this team from nothing and got them to playoffs. The roster he inherited was pure garbage. Pure. I will look it over later but firing Schwartz is not going to happen for at least 2-3 more years. He still has to get some of past regime ugliness off this roster

Agreed. Still love the Schwartz at this point. I'm not a big fan of Del Rio. I think overstayed his welcome in Jacksonville way before he was fired.

Schwartz isn't getting fired considering he just signed an extension, and Ford hired him personally. Ford hired Millen, and look how long he stuck around. Schwartz isn't getting fired for 1 bad year after making the playoffs.

I think the Lions are going to be bad enough where a center won't even be in consideration for their 1st pick.

Examples would be
Dylan Gandy salary from 1,850,000 to 840,000
Corey Hilliard salary from 1,260,00 to 715,000
Lawrence Jackson salary from 1,015,000 to 715,000
Amari Spievey salary from 723,333 to 715,000

Also, Bill Nagy is lready under contract fro next year and Keiland Williams was sign by Washington Redskins.

Schwartz isn't getting fired considering he just signed an extension, and Ford hired him personally. Ford hired Millen, and look how long he stuck around. Schwartz isn't getting fired for 1 bad year after making the playoffs.

I think the Lions are going to be bad enough where a center won't even be in consideration for their 1st pick.

The Ford family is extremely hands off when it comes to the Lions for the most part. Any coaching changing decision is going to come from Mayhew. But, with that said, I don't see Schwartz getting fired for a while. I wouldn't mind an OC/DC/ST change if they decided to go that route, though._________________Adopt-A-Lion: Glover Quin

First off - the head coach picks his coordinators. If Schwartz is gone, Gunther isn't coming back.

Now, I like the enthusiasm, but your projections on how much the Lions will be able to sign these players for is ridiculous.

Houston is going to command somewhere in the neighborhood of $7 - $9 million next year. He's a top-20 corner just entering his prime.

Delmas is often injured, but when he's healthy he's a top-15 safety. No way he signs for less than $4 million a year.

With Fairley and Suh ahead of him on the depth chart, I suspect that, all things being equal, Hill is going to want to go somewhere to start. And he'll command $3 million plus.

I think Spievey is going to get more than the minimum. He's a solid safety with starting experience that is still young. I'm thinking at least $1.5 mil.

Why would CJ and Stafford restructure their contracts?

All you've done, really, is change the coaching staff, hiring guys that were fired for being bad elsewhere. Now it's going to take the Lions at least a year to learn the new systems, and you haven't even fixed the biggest problems the Lions are having - namely, dropped passes, inconsistent QB play (the two are probably related), and safety play (a 4th round safety as your starter?).

I like the draft alright, but I'm not a fan of the overall direction of the team.

Examples would be
Dylan Gandy salary from 1,850,000 to 840,000
Corey Hilliard salary from 1,260,00 to 715,000
Lawrence Jackson salary from 1,015,000 to 715,000
Amari Spievey salary from 723,333 to 715,000

Also, Bill Nagy is lready under contract fro next year and Keiland Williams was sign by Washington Redskins.

Mostly because guys like Gandy/Hilliard are UFA with no upside other than back up roles really, and have experiance within our system and might already live within the area. It's more than just money.

Nice call with Nagy I didn't even realize he was still signed.

An yeah Williams is with Washington but I like him better at the minimum than other options. He's been on the team before and somewhat fits the role of a power back.

- Houston's contract is the exact same one he signed the last go around with the Lions.

- Delmas prolly does deserve more money but we'll see if he finishes the season out healthy. This is such an early mock that most of this stuff just looks funny right now, I might not be far off if Delmas gets hurt again for 2-6 games this year again.

- Coaches, LOL, I know but it was fun anyways. You guys really drain creative juices around here.

- Players, Damn not one person had anything to say about the players that were selected. Dissappointting. Would of been nice to hear from Lambrane on what he seen outta the prospects. Same with Diehard/Stylish/TL. Everyone else, imo, has a pretty good track record of failure when picking out studs.

* Coaches were pretty much for fun cause I just like to do stuff like that but... The signings an stuff are a real insight to what kind of choices the Lions will have to make this offseason.

- Players, Damn not one person had anything to say about the players that were selected. Dissappointting. Would of been nice to hear from Lambrane on what he seen outta the prospects. Same with Diehard/Stylish/TL. Everyone else, imo, has a pretty good track record of failure when picking out studs.

* Coaches were pretty much for fun cause I just like to do stuff like that but... The signings an stuff are a real insight to what kind of choices the Lions will have to make this offseason.

Fair enough about the coaches.

As far as the prospects, I don't have much to say on the individuals, because I haven't even started looking at them. All I can do is compare positions. Right now, I don't think C is nearly the need that safety, corner, DE, or (I hate to say it) WR and TE. Now, if they're drafting for talent and Jones is the best guy available, that's a different story - but again, I haven't been looking at the individuals so I'd just be farting into the wind by talking about the players.

Other than that, I like the idea of them getting a corner, linebacker and safety, and I do appreciate that you're at least realistic about them probably not being able to afford to resign Durant. I do think it's going to be necessary to cut KVB and Burleson; I don't think it's actually going to happen and I don't think you're going out on much of a limb by suggesting it, but I do heartily agree with the change.

As others have said I don't expect coaching changes but if it were to happen I like the choices.

I think Zorn could really do wonders with Stafford.

It's to early to get out of shape on the money for the signings. Heck if Delmas can't find a way to stay healthy they may just cut their losses and say goodbye.

Really like the draft picks.

Jones is perfect for the Lions offence. The flexibility he brings is a coaches dream.

I've watched Trufant a number of times and I would be extremely happy if the Lions landed him. I think he's an excellent prospect.

I haven't seen Hodges play much but what I have seen he's very good and I didn't see any weakness in his game.

Sanders I know nothing about but as you suggest the Lions need help at both positions.

Cobble is a good pick and the Lions will need another DT because I don't see them being able to sign SLH which will be upsetting. He's one of the more under appreciated players on the Lions and since his draft the most improved Lion.

Bring on Mr. Sharpe the kid is a good kicker.

I always love your mocks. You put a great deal of effort into them and they always generate discussion.

I'm a big fan of this one. I would deem it very successful if it went down like this._________________

Seriously I stopped at the firing of Schwartz. He has taken this team from nothing and got them to playoffs. The roster he inherited was pure garbage. Pure. I will look it over later but firing Schwartz is not going to happen for at least 2-3 more years. He still has to get some of past regime ugliness off this roster